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August 20, 2009

Arvinder Singh Lovely in soup for anti-Urdu comment

Delhi's education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely is in trouble as he faces strong criticism from the Muslim community for his controversial anti-Urdu remark.

Lovely had told a delegation of Muslims that there is no need for students to study Urdu and spoil their future. This has led to strong protest from the Urdu-speakers who are planning demonstrations.

Clerics, religious leaders, poets, prominent personalities and people from all walks of life are up in arms againt the statement. Lately the Urdu newspapers of Delhi are full of reports and statements by prominent figures who have condemned the statement.

The fact that Lovely heads the education department, which has failed to take action in the appointment of Urdu teachers and providing Urdu textbooks to Urdu-medium schools, has further angered the community.

"When he has such a strong anti-Urdu bias, how can we expect that he would take steps to improve the educational scene in Delhi", said Jamiluddin Qadri, a religious scholar.

Poet Noor Hasan Noor condemned the statement and reminded Lovely that Urdu played a vital role in the feedom movement. "The 20 crore strong Urdu-speaking populace that also includes non-Muslims, will decide what it has to read and what it has to reject. Lovely better not interfere in this matter", he said.